Who Should I Start? Isiah Pacheco or Kaleb Johnson

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Week 9 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Isiah Pacheco News

Isiah Pacheco Has a Chance of Returning in 2026

Friday, October 30, 9:37 AM

Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (back) has not played a game since signing a one-year deal in the offseason, but head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Friday that "there's a chance" he could be back in late December. Pacheco, who ran for 462 yards in his final season with the Kansas City Chiefs, is currently on Injured Reserve after undergoing back surgery in mid-September. A late-December return would fall in line with his initially projected recovery timeline of 12-14 weeks. Signed to serve as a backup to three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs, Pacheco's absence has left the Lions to lean on third-year player Sione Vaki to occasionally spell Gibbs, who has handled an 89.3% running back rush share on the way to his current RB1 standing.

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Week 9 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.1 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Kaleb Johnson News

Kaleb Johnson Scores First Career Touchdown in New England

Sunday, November 8, 5:05 PM

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson totaled 14 carries, 68 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown during Sunday's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots. The touchdown represented the first of his career. Johnson entered this week as the backup to Josh Jacobs, but he stepped into a larger role when Jacobs exited with a fractured finger. With Jacobs exiting early and MarShawn Lloyd (knee) inactive, Johnson ended up leading the Packers' backfield in rushing attempts and rushing yards. He posted a solid 4.9 yards per carry, and he should be in the mix to operate as the direct backup to Jacobs going forward. Furthermore, there's a slight chance that Johnson could earn the start in Week 10 if Jacobs misses time. Managers should stay tuned for updates on Jacobs' status, but at the very least, Johnson has some deep-league waiver wire appeal going forward.

Isiah Pacheco vs. Kaleb Johnson

Still trying to decide between Pacheco and Johnson? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Isiah Pacheco is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Kaleb Johnson is projected to score 0.1 points.